The Fagnostic Podcast

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to season 2, episode 19 of TFP!I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes it means that I am still looking for peace in the unknown! I am SQUEALING over today’s guest y’all. Flamy Grant is a shame-slaying, hip-swaying heathen with Appalachian roots who now calls San Diego home. This singing/songwriting drag queen time traveled from a 90s Lilith Fair tour to the present day, bringing with her a roots-rock sound influenced by gospel and Americana. Her music shines a spotlight on the queer spiritual journey, telling stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma. With a bold lip and a big lash, Flamy is here to rewrite the rules when it comes to religious music, as her songs demand a reckoning for an industry that has for too long silenced and shut out its LGBTQ+ artists and fans. Flamy's debut album Bible Belt Baby drops September 23, 2022 at your favorite digital music store.So tuck it tight and let’s go! Welcome to show, Flamy Grant!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to season 2, episode 18 of TFP! I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I am still looking for peace in the unknown. Y’all, if you follow anything about my life, you’ll know today’s guest. Daniel Robaire is one of my dearest friends. We met when we played husbands and fathers on an episode of Jane The Virgin back in 2017. Our characters were literally named Upset Dad #1 and Upset Dad #2. We hit it off and have been close ever since. He also played my husband in my award winning film, Cognitive, that swept the festival circuit, and in a roundabout way, led me to doing this podcast! Daniel is a fabulous and hilarious actor, but during Covid, like everyone else, we lost our industry. As creatives, we went crazy because we didn’t have anywhere to express our inner creative. Daniel literally picked up a paintbrush for the first time during the very early days of lockdown, and he is now a renown watercolor artist known as Robert Maurice, specializing in male nudes. He of course does other subjects, but his homoerotic artwork is absolutely incredible. In this episode you’ll hear all about how he got started in discovering this hidden talent, and how it informs his relationship with his other artistic endeavors. This guy, for better or for worse, is family. I love him dearly and I’m excited for you to get to know him better as well. Welcome to the show, my forever Upset Dad, Daniel Robaire. 

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to Episode 17 of season 2 of TFP!I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I am still looking for peace in the unknown. Today I have who the Center for American Progress calls one of the 10 faith leaders to watch for. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, PhD has been described in a myriad of ways: a scholar-activist, scholar-leader, thought-leader, teacher, public theologian, ethicist, poet of moral reason, and word artist. Among these ways of describing Dr. Robyn, they are also a visionary thinker who has spent two decades working in the borderlands of church, academy, & movements seeking to not only disrupt but dismantle supremacy culture and help steward the logic of liberation as a Transqueer Latinx. They enflesh a deep hope of collaborating in these borderland spaces where their work seeks to contribute to the ongoing work of collective liberation. Dr. Robyn is the Founder of the Activist Theology Project, a Nashville based collaborative project that seeks to work with the dominant culture and produces curriculum at the intersection of scholarship and activism. Dr. Robyn has been featured in fashion magazines and appeared on many different podcasts. As a scholar-activist, Dr. Robyn is committed to translating theory to action, so that our work in the borderlands reflect the deep spiritual work of transforming self to transforming the world. As the Founder of the Activist Theology Project, Dr. Robyn is committed to the work of social healing through public theology initiatives, and writes & creates both academic & other valuable resources, including digital resources. Dr. Robyn is a non-binary Transqueer Latinx and adult on the Autism spectrum who calls Nashville, TN home. They are the author of Activist Theology, 2019, published by Fortress Press and “Body Becoming: A Path to Our Liberation,” published by Broadleaf Press 2022.Welcome to the show, Dr. Robyn!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to Season 2, Episode 16 of TFP!I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I am still looking for peace in the unknown. Today’s guest came to me by way of Del Shores, and y’all… Well you’re just not ready for what you’re not ready for. Dr. Carlton Thomas is a San Diego based Mayo Clinic trained gastroenterologist who became “GAYMOUS” on TikTok and Instagram teaching Butt Stuff and Queer Health. He was raised Southern Baptist in South Carolina in an über conservative tobacco town. He is married to a wonderful man and has 2 kids who led him to social media during the COVID pandemic. He quickly became great source for much needed health information for the Queer community, and also for sex education that we never got in school. He sounded the alarm on MonkeyPox on May 20 on his Instagram and has now become a central source for MonkeyPox education as well as testing, treatment and vaccination. His social media has led to improved pain treatment protocols for patients suffering from MonkeyPox related rectal pain, and he has helped countless men get vaccinated across North America and Europe. He is an FX Networks 2022 Pride Honoree and just this week was given the President’s Award from the National Leather Association-International for his work on social media. Who better to learn butt stuff from than a gay man who knows his way around a butt and that is also a medical expert!Get your g-spot ready y’all, cuz it’s about to get HIT. Welcome to the show Doctor Carlton!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to Season 2, Episode 15 of TFP!I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means I’m still looking for peace in the unknown! *gasp* That’s right – I’m no longer looking for answers. I’m just looking to feel peace in not knowing! Today’s guest helps me do just that. She is a new friend, and a referral of our last fabulous guest, Christian! Maria Lopez  is an Energy Healer, Spiritual Mentor, certified Reiki Master, and trauma healing specialist. Her 3-month, 1:1 Trauma Healing Program, The Phoenix Rising, teaches people how to achieve Post Traumatic Growth and heal their trauma once and for all. Follow her at @AscendingArts on Instagram for inspiration and healing in your feed.As y’all know, helping folks heal from religious trauma is one of the things I’m most passionate about, and I’m so excited for you to hear this conversation with Maria. You can literally feel her energy pour through the airwaves. She expanded my consciousness surrounding the divine and I have full faith that she will blow your mind with her view on all things involving quantum matter. Welcome to the show, Maria! 

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to episode number 13 of Season 2 of TFP!I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes it means that I’m still looking for answers!Y’all, today I have a fascinating theologian on to discuss his approach towards engagement with the Divine. Mason Mennenga is a successful podcaster and YouTuber and calls himself The Internet’s Youth Pastor. In this episode you’ll hear about some new ideas and new voices in process theology, as well as a clear warning to Evangelical America based on history leading up to Nazi Germany. One of my favorite things we talk about today is Theopoetics. It may change your perception and HOPE of the impact of spirituality in America. You can also catch Mason on his incredible podcast called A People’s Theology. To read more of his writings, check him out at masonmennenga.com. There’s some fascinating articles there about creation, the difference between belief and faith, and so much more.  Welcome to the show Mason! 

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to the 12th episode of season 2 of TFP.I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I’m still giving you answers.  Y’all, I don’t even know how to describe the guest for today’s show. But strap in, literally, and maybe get a cigarette and a bourbon ready for the afterglow. KJ Song (they/them) is a queer music minister creating inclusive sounds for a birthing world. A seasoned pianist, composer, vocalist and songwriter, KJ is fondly known amongst their musical communities as “the hook machine.” Their compositions and songs have been featured internationally in film, dance and theater productions.They are a proud member of the City of Refuge UCC Praise Ensemble, a radically inclusive ministry of restoration based in Oakland, CA and have served as Artistic Co-Director of Thrive Choir. The way KJ connects sexuality and the divine is unlike any other way I’ve heard described. As you’ll hear in this episode, it’s not about getting your dick wet. It’s about getting your soul wet. And y’all – your soul’s boutta get WET. Welcome to back row of the choir loft KJ!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to episode number 11 of season 2 of TFP. I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes it means that I’m still looking for answers! Today’s guest is Father Shannon TL Kearns, a transgender man who believes in the transformative power of story. He’s an ordained priest in the Old Catholic Priesthood tradition, a playwright, and a theologian. He the co-founder of QueerTheology.com which has reached more than a million people all over the world through videos, articles, and online courses and community. His first book: In the Margins, a Transgender Man's Journey With Scripture comes out August 9 from Eerdmans Publishing. Shannon is a recipient of the Playwrights’ Center Jerome Fellowship in 20/21 and he was a Lambda Literary Fellow for 2019 and a Finnovation Fellow for 2019/2020. He is a sought after speaker on transgender issues and religion as well as a skilled facilitator of a variety of workshops. You can connect with him on social media @shannontlkearns (instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and twitter) or on his website: www.shannontlkearns.comIf you’re in LA this weekend on July 16th, check out his play reading at the Road Theatre in North Hollywood. Welcome to the show Shannon!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to episode 10 of season 2 of TFP. I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes it means that I’m still looking for answers!Today, I have the privilege of speaking with Amir Yass. He’s a queer muslim unicorn who doesn’t shy away from any conversation. He’s an LGBTQ activist battling against racism, transphobia, and body shaming in the queer community. Creating safe spaces is of the utmost importance to him. Previously a Hollywood publicist, he found fame during the pandemic on Tik Tok, where he has garnered over 30 million views and has gone viral countless times.  He’s been in been in Cosmopolitan magazine, E! News, BuzzFeed, Just Jared, Hollywood Life, The LA Times, and countless other publications.Most recently, he consulted on American Gods on Starz and Love, Victor on Hulu. Get ready for an hour of heavy discussion with hearty laughs and hilarious quips. Welcome to the show Amir Yass!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to episode 9 of the 2nd season of The Fagnostic Podcast I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still here, it means that I’m still looking for answers! Y’all, today I have the digital pastor, Kevin Garcia, with us. Kevin is a mystical theologian and practitioner based in the ATL. This intuitive soul coach has reached thousands of individuals across the globe with messages of God’s unending love for all people. regardless of who they are, what they profess, or what they actually believeKevin is the author of BAD THEOLOGY KILLS, released in January of 2020, right before the world ended. You can find it on his website or anywhere else onlineKevin believes that by telling our stories, we set others free to tell their own. He uses his online presence to create communities of authentic spiritual seeking. He holds a masters of arts in practical theology from Columbia Theological Seminary and a bachelors in music in choral music from Christopher Newport University. Kevin also is the founder of Queerly Beloved Apparel and Big Queer Adventure Company. Sometimes a Christian. Often a witch. Always a mystic. Welcome to the show Kevin!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to the 8th episode of season 2 of TFP. I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I am still looking for answers. Today I am sharing a conversation I had with 2 board members of the non profit volunteer organization, Handle With Care, that started here in Los Angeles. Handle With Care provides emergency care packages to the unhoused communities of which they serve and in this episode, you’ll learn about how it came about and how to create a chapter in your city. I’m honored to call these two guys my good friends for many reasons, but especially because of how much they care for those experience homelessness. Mark Gamarra is an HR bigwig who has a passion for assisting the unhoused. He works to organize fundraisers, promote initiatives, and create partnerships with local agencies to support the organization’s mission. Kellan Martz is an affordable housing lawyer and a city commissioner on rent and housing issues and takes pride in being a part of an organization that has now branched out to Portland, Sacramento, and perhaps coming soon to a city near you. If you’re ever in LA, you can probably catch the 3 of us at Happy Hour at Gym Bar or Hi Tops, so come and look for us on the patio!Welcome to the show y’all!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to the 7th episode of season 2 of TFP. I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I am still looking for answers. Today I have got 2 of the Mama Dragons on to talk about what they’re doing for LGBTQ children and their mothers. You may have heard of this amazing organization, but if not, it’s a non profit based in Utah that started as a handful of moms and now serves over 8000 mothers, impacting countless youth. Mama Dragons' focus is on education programs and safe online spaces where mothers can learn and connect with other Mama Dragons traveling similar paths as they learn accepting and affirming parenting practices that can help prevent LGBTQ youth suicide and self-harming behaviors, depression, and homelessness.Celeste Carolin and Anne Eliason are joining us today to talk about how they got involved with the organization.  Celeste is the executive director of Mama Dragons. She comes from a business and leadership background, and has worked with LGBTQ youth and non-profits for the past decade. She and her partner, Jamie, live just outside Seattle and have both come from non-accepting religious backgrounds. This fuels Celeste's passion for understanding and serving the intersectionality of faith and parenting LGBTQ children. Anne is the director of PR and events and came to Mama Dragons after being referred to the organization following her child coming out as trans. From the moment her daughter came out to her, she has been working to help other mothers navigate the waters of supporting and loving their queer children. We all deserve to have a Mama Dragon in our corner and I’m excited to share this conversation with you. Welcome to the show Mama Dragons!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to the 6th episode of season 2 of TFP!I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes, and if I’m still giving you episodes, it means that I am still looking for answers!Y’all, today I have a gay icon on the show! In 1985, Steve Pieters was interviewed by Tammy Faye on her evangelical talk show seen around the world, and was recently portrayed in the academy award winning film, “The Eyes Of Tammy Faye,” starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield. Steve has been living with HIV/AIDS for over 30 years, literally surviving death. As a gay pastor living with the very disease that most evangelicals weaponized against our community, Steve has done so much to bring healing to the queer community at large. He truly is one of our generation’s gay pioneers in every sense of the word and honestly, I can’t believe his publicist agreed to set this interview up. I am so honored to introduce you all to this living legend. 

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to the 5th episode of season 2 of The Fagnostic Podcast. I’m your hostess, not your Moses, Mat Hayes. And if I’m still giving you episodes, it means I’m still looking for answers. Y’all, we are officially in Pride month and I have one of our fiercest allies here with us today. Malynda Hale is a voice with a voice. Originally from Santa Barbara, she has made her way through town as an incredible vocalist who has become a prominent figure on many of today’s most controversial topics. From social justice to LGBTQ advocacy, from progressive Christianity to Black Lives Matter, from female empowerment to veganism, and most currently relevant, reproductive choice, she lives a life that is lead by the legacy of Christ as she sees it. She has an incredible podcast called #weneedtotalk, so when you’re done with this one, go on over to that one and give it a good listen!She has served as worship leader at various churches and also sits on the board of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. While I’ve mostly been an audience member, we do share one credit: Sex Sent Me To the ER. I am so thankful for voices like hers and I’m honored to have her share her journey and thoughts on the state of the world from a love-lead perspective. Welcome to the show Malynda Hale!

In honor of Ash Wednesday, and 4/20, surrounded by pagan celebrations of Easter traditions, the seder plate’s reminder of the epoch journey of the Israelites, I have a Moses expert on to talk about his incredibly thought-provoking book, Moses and the Death of Heresy.  J.M.S. Beale is a lifelong student of religion, both academically and in religious communities. His degree is in Comparative Religion, and his focus was on the culture and history of ancient Israel. His dreams of becoming the pastor of a church were dashed when he realized that he could not defend or endorse the use of power in his Christian communities. Since then he has become a devoted ally of the LGBTQ+ community. His book Moses and the Death of Heresy is an exposé of how power is fundamentally attached to violence in the legacy of Moses. The book gives value to the lives that were taken by this ancient aggression, the trauma of the survivors, and gives modern readers a roadmap for how to escape such uses of power in their own spiritual lives. So buckle up buttercups and get ready to open your mind to the possibility that maybe Moses wasn’t all he’s cracked up to be!

What’s up y’all of little faith and welcome to episode 3 of the 2nd season of TFP. I’m your host Mat Hayes, and today I have the pleasure of welcoming Andrew Evans to the show. He’s an author, speaker, and TV host. Let me give you the rundown:He’s completed over 60 assignments for National Geographic, reporting from all 7 continents and over a hundred different countries. His purposeful journeys to these meaningful destinations include following an 18th century sea captain’s diary to some of the remotest islands of Polynesia, hiking 500 miles across the kingdom of Jordan, and riding public transportation on a 12,000 mile overland trip to Antartica. He’s a contributor to National Geographic, BBC Travel, The Boston Globe, and The Chicago Tribune. He’s the author of 5 books, including his award winning memoir, The Black Penguin, as well as his bestselling guidebooks to Iceland and Ukraine. We’ll talk a lot about his thoughts on the current war being fought there. And for the sake of this podcast’s relevance, he’s a gay-identifying, former Mormon! Get ready for one of the most intellectual conversations I’ve had on this show!Welcome to the podcast, Andrew!

Host @hayesonit speaks with a senior partner from Growing Generations, the largest surrogacy provider in the country, specializing in LGBTQ families. We speak about his intimate memoir, Prayer Warriors and how he helps to keep queer storytelling alive in the South!